Transport workers are on strike to demand their 8-year-old demands. In the meantime, it is alleged that buses are being operated by inexperienced drivers, and that buses operated in this way are involved in accidents.
Nationally, compared to other states, transport corporations provide excellent transportation facilities to the people of Tamil Nadu. Transport corporations are making a significant contribution to the social and economic life of Tamil Nadu, including education, employment, and connectivity between villages and cities. However, transport workers have been involved in continuous protests for some of their demands for the past 8 years.
However, as their demands were not met, they announced a strike. The government also held talks to prevent them from participating in the strike. However, all of them failed. Therefore, from midnight yesterday, organizations including CITU and Anna Trade Union have started a strike.
In this regard, trade union officials said, “Some people are raising the wrong question that transport corporations are operating at a loss when private buses are operating at a profit. Transport corporations are not operating with the aim of making a profit. Even though it is known that there will be a loss, buses are being operated on service routes in more than 10,000 rural and hill routes.
The government’s scheme of providing free bus service to various sections of society, including students and women, is implemented by transport corporations. The government does not reimburse the loss incurred to the corporations.
The government, which fully reimburses the losses to Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Civil Supplies Corporation, etc., ignores the transport corporations that serve 2 million people every day. Even the money given to transport corporations for urgent needs is also collected with interest. Therefore, the government should provide the difference between revenue and expenditure to run the transport corporations well.
In 2017, 23,000 buses were operating. The number of buses decreased to 19,500 in 2018. No new workers have been appointed in place of the workers who retired or died in the past 8 years. There are about 20,000 vacancies. Due to the lack of staff, about 1,500 buses cannot be operated daily. Overall, 4,000 buses have been reduced in the last 5 years. As a result, the travel rights of the people of Tamil Nadu are being indirectly denied.”
As of this morning, buses are being operated smoothly in all parts of Tamil Nadu except a few areas. However, in some places, buses are stopping halfway due to inexperienced drivers. In Salem, a government bus broke down at the Five Road area. Finally, the passengers all together pushed the government bus aside.
In Tindivanam, a government bus broke down while trying to cross a bridge flowing with rain water. The passengers in the bus got off in the flood and walked to a safe place. Similarly, in Aralvai Moolam in Kanyakumari district, a bus collided lightly with a shop inside the bus stand. In this, the glass doors of the shop have been broken. In some places, buses have fallen off the road.
Therefore, trade unions have urged that the demands of transport workers should be met to avoid accidents and that buses should not be operated by temporary and inexperienced drivers.